The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin informs that on the morning of May 11, His Eminence Archbishop Dirair Mardikian, Primate of the Armenian Dioceses of Romania and Bulgaria, entered his eternal rest in Sofia, Bulgaria.

He was one of the senior members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and a devoted servant of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church. His Eminence was 80 years old.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Church and the clergy deeply mourn the loss of Archbishop Dirair Mardikian.

Archbishop Dirair Mardikian (baptismal name Dikran) was born on 24 May 1930 in Beirut, Lebanon. In 1960 he was elected to serve as the Primate of the Armenian Dioceses of Romania and Bulgaria.